The problems of waxiness, slower mouthmelt and reduced crispness that are characteristic of snacks fried in non-digestible fats are well known. These problems are believed to be caused by solids crystallizing in the non-digestible fat that are absorbed by the snack during frying. The non-digestible fat is absorbed by the snack during frying in a liquefied state. As the snack cools, crystallization of the intermediate-melting and low-melting fats occur, and the solids formed as a result of crystallization alter the organoleptical properties of the snack, for example, crispness, waxiness impression and mouthmelt.
Several methods of reducing the waxiness problem associated with snacks fried in non-digestible fats have been recognized and disclosed in the art (see European Patent Application 236,288 to Bernhardt, published Sep. 9, 1986). Representative of these methods include modifying the non-digestible fat composition (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,884 to Young, issued Feb. 4, 1992), combining the non-digestible fat with increasing levels of triglyceride fat (see European Patent Application 233,856 to Bernhardt, published Aug. 26, 1987), altering the composition of the dough (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,642 to Villagran et al, issued Nov. 7, 1995), and removing excess fat from the snack by stripping with supercritical steam (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,600 to Young et al. issued Dec. 15, 1992).
Prior attempts by food formulators to produce low-fat snacks having a crisp texture and reduced waxiness have generally not been successful, insofar as avoiding undesirable textural changes that occur during frying. Additionally, food formulators have had limited success with reducing the waxiness impression of the snack without the use of stripping techniques. Because the non-digestible fat compositions generally have a viscosity higher than that of triglycerides and comprise intermediate-melting and low-melting fats, the products depending on the dough composition tend to expand and collapse uncontrollably during frying. Further, the viscous fat tends to remain on the surface of the snack and tends to be poorly distributed within the internal structure of the snack. Another problem discovered is that the internal structure of snacks made from many dough compositions tend to form either large internal voids which result in snacks having a dense, hard and glassy texture or small voids which results in snacks having foamy (Styrofoam-like) texture.
Products with large voids correspondingly have larger, uninterrupted regions of solid matter creating a denser, harder mass. A cross section of these products can be visually characterized by tunnel like voids surrounded by thick regions of dense mass where the cross-sectional area of a single void can have a size that is about 2.0% to about 4.0% of the total cross sectional area of the product.
Snack products with an internal structure consisting primarily of small voids where the cross-sectional area of single void has a size less than 0.1% of the total cross-sectional area of the product will display a foamy texture due to the elastic resistance provided by the thinner, less rigid mass arranged in a uniform sequence. The cross-sectional appearance of this product is characterized by numerous small voids surrounded by small regions of mass with thicknesses on the same order of magnitude as the void sizes. The foamy internal structure promotes over-hydration of the starch leading to a gummy texture. It has been found that these structures are particularly prevalent when the doughs used to produce the snacks have the improper viscoelastic properties and when insufficient amylose is bound, insufficient water is distributed/available in the dough during frying, and/or when insufficient fat is distributed in the dough. Ideally, the internal structure of a snack will have a homologous mixture of small to large voids randomly dispersed to provide sufficient strength for crispness, but with lower localized solid mass density.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide low-calorie fabricated snacks having a unique structure.
Another object of the invention is to provide reduced-calorie and low-calorie farinaceous snacks having improved organoleptical properties (e.g., increased mouthmelt, substantially reduced waxiness impressions and substantially improved crispness).
Still another object of the invention is to provide dough compositions used to prepare low-fat snacks.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent hereafter.